Fading Shadows
by Madame Magic
Summary: Stella wasn't someone easily fooled and she rarely believed in anything other than what she could prove. But with Henry constantly trying to make her believe in that storybook, telling her she Alice from Alice in Wonderland, and him bringing his birth mom back. It's starting to get harder to not believe. To top it off she keeps seeing things. Henry's just getting to her. Right?


_"I have to have control of myself,  
>My thoughts,<br>My mind,_

_Cause the way it's going down,  
>In my life, I feel like a prisoner in a light,<br>Are you feeling me,_

_Cause the way you make my,  
>Break my,<br>Shake my walls around,  
>I feel like I'm breaking out,<em>

Hurry Up And Save Me – Tiffany Giardina

**Chapter 1: Pilot**

Stella POV

I sat nervously on the end seat of the couch watching Madame Mayor shout at Graham for not finding Henry yet. He'd been gone since he'd left for school that morning. I tried to block out her fearful yelling by listening to the _tick-tock, tick-tock_ of the large grandfather clock she had in the living room. I sighed and got up, wiping my dried tears away. That squirt was dead when I found him. I glanced out the window and nearly screamed. "Madame Mayor." I said only to get no response. "Madame Mayor." I said a little louder. "Madame Mayor!" I finally screamed, overpowering her yells at Graham.

"What Stella?!" she yelled.

"Henry's outside." I said and I watched her face go from annoyed to pure, terrified, relief. Then I watched her as she turned and did something I hadn't even known she could do; run. It didn't take me a nanosecond after to bolt to the door after her, Graham on my heels.

Madame Mayor burst out the door, "Henry?" she ran to him, "Henry." She said as she pulled him into her arms. Graham lingered by the door while I waited patiently about a foot behind the mother and son. "Oh, are you ok?" she asked him. I think this is the first time I've ever _really_ heard genuine concern in her voice. "Where have you been? What happened?" she asked as she released him and stood up to her full height.

I watched him look up at her, pain in his too young eyes, "I found my real mom." He said before running past her, me, then Graham, and into the house.

Madame Mayor looked up at the blonde in the red leather jacket. The blonde looked sympathetic, sorry even but Madame Mayor spoke, "You're Henry's birth mother?"

"Hi." The woman said

"Stella." Graham said softly

"Yeah?" I said, still dazed about the situation before looking at him.

"Why don't you come inside with me?" he asked before added, "To go check on the Lad make sure he's alright?" I knew he was just trying to get me out of there before it turned into a cat fight or something.

"Yeah sure." I said and as I turned to walk inside before sparing one last glance at the teary eyed Mayor staring down Henry's other mother. Oh my god, he's the boy version of _Coraline._ I snickered to myself before Graham gave me a funny look as we shut the door. "What?"

"Why are you snickering?" he asked me with a small smile on his face.

"_Whaaaatttt?_" I asked, playing dumb.

"You know what." He said

"It's nothing," I said as I skipped up the stairs. Walking into Henry's room I saw him lying there curled up on his bed, in the clothes he wore a few minutes ago wrapped around that book he'd had for a while '_Once Upon A Time'_. "Henry?" I asked as Graham lingered by the door.

"Ellie?" he asked as he sat up, leaving the book in its place.

"Hey munchkin, now as much as I love you, just what in the world were you thinking?" I asked with a small smile.

I walked over to the bed and as soon as I sat down he cocooned himself in my arms. "I had to find her Ellie." He said

"Why?" I asked, truly curious.

"She's the one who gonna save us." He said before dropping his voice so Graham couldn't hear. "She's the one who's gonna break the curse."

I gave him a small pained smile. "Henry,"

"What?" he asked

"You can't just trick a woman, whether she's your birth mom or not into coming here, when you don't even have any proof that this whole curse idea is really real." I said and he looked up, about to protest. "Now look, I will give you the benefit of the doubt about it because it is awfully uncanny at who the characters do resemble people from Storybrooke and I don't want you to be able to say 'I told you so' if it turns out to be legit." I said

He smiled up at me, "So you believe?" he said

"I'm saying I don't not believe." I said "Would it be cool if I left you for a little bit so I make sure you don't go from two moms to one?" I asked

He nodded with a laugh, "Go, go make sure no one's dead." He said as Graham followed me out the door.

As we walked down the steps Graham spoke to the Mayor. "Madame Mayor, you can relax other than being a tired little boy Henry is fine."

"Thank you Sheriff." She said as Graham turned and walked out the door. "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him." Madame Mayor said politely

"Kid's having a rough time, happens." The woman said and I stood in the doorframe.

"Madame Mayor?" I asked and she looked at me, seeming to have forgotten I was there.

"Yes Stella?" she asked.

"Do you want me to stay here with Henry or do you-" I started

"You can go, I'm sure you're exhausted from worrying over Henry today. Go home, sleep." She said

"Alright I'll just go tell Henry goodnight and make sure he's tucked in. Goodnight Madame Mayor, goodnight Miss…" I trailed off.

"Swan, Emma Swan." She said in a very James Bond like way.

"Well it was nice to meet you Miss Swan, under the circumstances." I said

"Please call me Emma." She said

I nodded, "Goodnight Emma." I said before turning and walking back up the stairs. I heard the door shut as I walked and I heaved a sigh. Never have I ever been that polite to Madame Mayor but then again never have I ever been that scared and plus I know she can be a witch with a nasty bad side which is partly why I even consider Henry's whole 'curse' idea. I got to his room to see he'd changed out of day clothes and into plaid pajamas and was sitting on his bed with the lamp on only and reading a comic book, surprisingly. I sighed, "Alright munchkin man time for bed." I said as I walked over and picked the comic up from his hands.

"I'm not a munchkin." He said

"Right because that would be ridiculous." I said sarcastically as I put the comic on top of the bookshelf. "But it's completely alright for me to be Alice from Wonderland."

"You're not from Wonderland; you were Alice Kingsleigh from London-" he started

"Yada, yada I know I know but right now you need to get your little butt in the bed and go to sleep." I said as I tucked him in.

"Are you leaving?" he asked

"Yeah, I need to go home, you know she'll start to worry." I said before kissing him on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow bud." I said before clicking off the lamp. "Get some sleep." I told him.

"Bye Ellie love you." He said

"Night squirt, love you too." I said as I walked out, shutting the door softly behind me. I walked down the stairs like two at a time. When I got to the bottom Emma was coming from that room she and the Mayor had been talking in. I grabbed my backpack from the floor and walking out with her behind me. "Safe travels." I said with an undertone of sarcasm that was toned down because I just had a bad feeling.

"You too." She said

* * *

><p><em>A young blonde in a pale blue dress that had a slight flared at her waist before falling elegantly she walked into the chambers of Snow White and Prince Charming as Snow said, "I don't want to do this." <em>

_"It has to be you." Charming said to Snow as she walked in from off the balcony._

_"I'm not leaving you." Snow said_

_The young blonde took that as the moment to make herself known, "What am I then, chopped liver?" she asked sarcastically as a sad smile graced her face._

_"Alice, what are you doing here?" Snow asked as she rushed towards the 'younger' girl. "I thought you'd left." _

_"Well I thought I was leaving as well, but it seems that the Rabbit has decided now was a good time to disappear on me." Alice said sarcastically_

_"Why?" Charming asked as he gave the girl a hug._

_"I don't know, I haven't seen him since his failed attempt to get me back to London from Wonderland." Alice said_

_"How did it fail?" Charming asked_

_"Well first of all, I'm here so obviously not in London." Alice said sarcastically._

_"And…" Snow asked._

_"I got sent to another land after that." Alice said vaguely._

_"Where?" Charming asked_

_"Nowhere important, at least not now." Alice said "But Charming's right, you have to go Snow."_

_"It's the only way." Charming said. "You'll go in there and be safe from the curse." _

_Snow was on the verge of tears now, "He said it would be on her _28th _birthday."_

_"What's 28 years when you have eternal love?" he asked and Alice felt like she was intruding._

_"He'll have me to keep him company." Alice said, as she patted his back._

_Charming smiled, "How comforting." He turned back to Snow, "I have faith. I have had faith since I met you." Snow looked at him before pulling him into a passionate kiss. Alice looked away only to look back when she heard Snow pull back suddenly._

_"Snow?" Alice asked worriedly._

_"What is it?" Charming asked_

_"Snow. Snow White!" Alice all but yelled as Snow glanced at her stomach._

_"The baby," Snow said "She's coming." _

_"Alice go get the Blue Fairy, hurry!" Charming said and Alice turned and ran out of the room. For the first time in a long time she did not feel like the strong and brave warrior Alice but poor little Alice Kingsleigh who fell down a rabbit hole. She pulled up the floor length dress to her mid-calf and ran._

_"Blue! Blue Fairy where are you?!" Alice screamed as she tore through the halls. Her feet pounded against the stone floors and a resounded clack came from each step due to the heels she wore. "Forget this crap." Alice said as she kicked off her shoes and pulled out the knife she had hidden on a thigh strap before cutting the dress to be knee length. _

_She took off running for the Blue Fairy's quarters and got a fair distance down the hallway before freezing when she heard Grumpy's scared yell, "It's here, the Curse is here!" and the chiming of the warning bell._

_"It's here." she whispered._

* * *

><p>I sat in class the next morning feeling somewhat refreshed halfway listening to my teacher go on and on about Shakespeare and his brilliance. Geez, why couldn't Mary Margaret be the teacher? Not a moment too soon the intercom went off, "Mrs. Holt, Stella Blanchard needs to come to the office to check out." Mrs. Collins in the office said.<p>

"Thank you." Mrs. Holt said as I packed up my things. Ashley, who was Mrs. Holt's teacher's aide, looked at me with an eyebrow raised and I just shrugged, not knowing what to tell her.

I pulled my backpack over one shoulder and said, "Bye Mrs. Holt." As I walked out of the door and to the office, when I got to the office I saw Madame Mayor there waiting on me. "Madame Mayor?" I asked

"Come on we have to go." She said quickly.

I followed her outside but I couldn't help but ask sarcastically, "Are you even on my checkout list?"

"I don't need to be, I'm the Mayor." She said almost cockily.

"What's going on, _Madame_ _Mayor_?" I sneered

"Henry's gone again." she said as we got in her car, rushing to the police station. As soon as we got there she threw the car in park and we walking quickly to the front door. Madame Mayor called out as Leroy past us, throwing a dirty look at the Mayor as he passed. "Graham, Henry's run away again. We have to-" she called as if it were perfectly normal albeit she was slightly emotional. "What is she doing here?"

"Do you know where he is?" I asked Emma as the Mayor stalked towards her.

"Lady I haven't seen him since I dropped him at the Mayor's house and I got a pretty good alibi." Emma said

"Yeah well he wasn't in his room this morning." Madame Mayor said

"Did you try his friends?" Emma asked.

"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner." Madame Mayor replied quickly.

"Every kid has friends." Emma said

And at the same time I asked, "Am I chopped liver?"

"Have you seen him?" Madame Mayor asked

"Well no but-" I started

"Then it doesn't matter." Madame Mayor said

"Have you checked his computer, if he's close to someone he'd email them." Emma said

"And you now this how?" Madame Mayor asked accusingly.

"Finding people's what I do. Here's an idea how 'bout you guys let me out and I'll help you find him." Emma said.

"Says the person willing to say anything to get out." I mutter under my breath. I saw Emma glare at me and Graham smiled teasingly at me.

"If I let you out, you won't run?" Graham asked

She looked at him like he was stupid and I had a minor urge to punch her face, just a little. "No I won't run, now let me out." She demanded and Graham sighed but walked over and unlocked the door.

"Now let's go." Madame Mayor demanded.

"I'm riding with Graham." I announced loudly.

"What?" Madame Mayor asked

"You really think I'm gonna risk being in a car with a temperamental woman, um how bout no. So let's go Graham." I said as I grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him to the door. He laughed and let me pull him. We got to his cop car and I said, "Mmkay, now keys." I said as I held out my hand.

"Mmkay, no. Now cooperate or I put you in the back." He said and I sighed, walking to the passenger's side.

"It wouldn't be the first time I was back there. Although it would be a first without handcuffs." I said as I slide into the passenger's seat.

"Thank god Mary Margaret got to you when she did. I think your file was about to explode." He said lightly as we drove off.

* * *

><p>When we got to the Mayor's house we ran inside and up to Henry's room. After pulling up his e-mail account we saw that his inbox was empty. "Smart kid, he cleared his inbox. I'm smart too." Emma said. He's her kid so if she's smart he'd be smart too, does she not think before she speaks? "A little hard disk recovery utility I like to use." She said before plugging something into his computer.<p>

"I'm a bit more old fashion in my techniques. Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors that sort of thing." Graham said

"Hitting on women." I said under my breath and only he heard because he shot me a look to which I smiled too sweetly at.

"You're on salary, I get paid for delivery. Pounding the pavement is not a luxury I get." Emma said. "Huh, there's a receipt for a website _'Who's Your '_ it's expensive, he have a credit card?"

"He's 10." I say

"Well he used one." Emma said and I looked closer at the screen. "Let's pull up a transaction order." She said before clicking on something and a screen came up.

It said:  
><strong>Transaction Details<br>**_Transaction Type: Credit Card  
>Payer Name: Mary Margaret Blanchard<br>Credit Card Number: ****** ***** ***** 0018  
>Order Number: 0020733<em>

I didn't look at the rest because my eyes were draw back to the payer name: Mary Margaret. "Mary Margaret." I said

"Mary Margaret Blanchard, who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?" Emma asked

"Henry's teacher." Madame Mayor said

"And my guardian." I added.

"Well we need to talk to her, like now." Emma said and we all headed to the Elementary school. We got there as I heard the bell ring for recess and saw kids coming from the classrooms and Madame Mayor pushed through the throng of kids into Mary Margaret's room.

"Miss Mills what are you doing here?" I heard Mary Margaret ask.

"Where's my son?" I heard Madame Mayor ask her.

"Henry, I assumed he was at home sick with you." Mary Margaret said truthfully.

"You think I'd be here if he was?" Madame Mayor asked.

I decided to let myself be known, "Mary Margaret he wasn't there this morning so the last time he was seen was when I left to come home last night." I said to her as I walked in with my white button up shirt, black jacket with the Storybrooke Academy emblem on it and two white stripes on the left arm, black and green plaid pleated skirt, black knee high socks, and to top it off black Mary Jane's with a baby heel. Very school girl chic.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me as I took the clip that created a bump in my hair before sticking it in my backpack/shoulder bag.

"Did you give him your credit card so he could find _her_?" Madame Mayor asked

"I'm sorry who are you?" she asked as she noticed Emma.

"I'm his- I'm his," Emma stuttered,

"She's Henry's birth mom." I said bluntly, not liking to beat around the bush.

As I said that Madame Mayor said, "The woman who gave him up for adoption."

Mary Margaret let out a sigh, "You don't know anything about this do you?" Emma asked

"No, unfortunately not." Mary Margaret said as she opened her wallet to see that her credit card was gone, "Clever boy." Mary Margaret said almost proudly. "I should have never given him that book."

"What in the hell is the book I keep hearing about?" Madame Mayor asked aggravated.

"Just some old stories me and Mary Margaret gave him." I said.

"As you well know, Henry is a special boy so smart, so creative. And as you might be aware, lonely; he needed it." Mary Margaret said

"What he needs is a dose of reality." Madame Mayor said. "This is a waste of time." She said as she turned to pretty much storm out and knocked over stuff in the process. "Have a nice trip back to Boston." She said to Emma as she left quickly.

Emma and I went to help Mary Margaret pick up what Madame Mayor knocked over, "Sorry to bother you." Emma said,

"It's ok, I fear this is partially my fault." Mary Margaret said

"How's the book supposed to help?" Emma asked

"What do you think stories are for?" Mary Margaret asked "These stories, the classics, there's a reason we all know them. There a way for us to deal with our world, a world that doesn't always make sense. See Henry hasn't always had the easiest life."

"Yeah she's kind of a hard ass." Emma said and I snickered.

"No it's more than her. He's like any adopted child he wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face 'Why would anyone give me away?'" she said before stopping, "I am so sorry I am so sorry I didn't mean it in any way to judge you." Mary Margaret said and I put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok." Emma said

"Look I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope." Mary Margaret said

"Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing." I said

"You two know where he is don't you?" Emma asked us

"You might want to check his castle." Mary Margaret said

"His castle?" Emma asked,

"Yeah, I can take you too it. If that's alright with you Mary Margaret?" I asked her.

"Just be home before dinner." She said with a smile.

* * *

><p><em>Snow White lay on the bed in her and Prince Charming's chambers holding onto Prince Charming with her right hand and Alice with her left as Doc stood at a table. Snow White let out a scream as a contraction ran through her body. "Breathe Snow, you have to breathe." Alice said as she squeezed her best friend who was a soon to be mother.<em>

_"I can't, have this baby now." Snow cried._

_"Doc, do something." Charming said as Doc gave Alice a wet rag to dab across Snow's forehead. "It's going to be ok, the wardrobe's almost finished. Just hold on."_

_"Nooooo!" Snow screamed before Geppetto came in._

_"It's ready." Geppetto said_

_Charming smiled before trying to lift her. Alice grabbed his arm. "It's too late." Alice said_

_"We can't lift her." Doc told him. Snow started to push and soon enough a baby's cry rang through the room. Alice took the baby Emma from Doc's arms and cleaned her quickly before pressing a kiss onto the baby's forehead._

_"I may not be the innocent girl I once was, but if you're in my world. I wish you all the worlds of luck. Goodbye Princess Emma, I will see you again." Alice said as she wrapped Emma in the baby blanket she and Snow had created._

_She handed baby Emma over to Snow who had tears running down her face. Charming pressed a kiss on Snow's forehead. "The wardrobe." Snow said "It only takes one." She said and a realization set in between the two adults and teenager. Sounds of men fighting with swords could be heard down the hall._

_"Then our plan had failed, at least we're together." Charming said as he reached over the baby and took Alice's hand. Releasing his hand Alice walked over to Charming's open arms as he pulled her into his side as she traced a finger over Emma's small face. Her other hand had bunched a handful of Charming's shirt._

_"You know I never would have been here, met you all, if it weren't for me being a klutz." Alice laughed through her tears, earning a smile from Snow and a small laugh from Charming._

_"Well I'm glad you fell down that rabbit hole, I don't know what I'd do without you." Snow said with a smile. Then looked at Charming and said, "No, you have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe." _

_"What?" Alice asked_

_"Are you out of your mind?" Charming asked_

_"No, that's the only way you have to safe her." Snow said_

_"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no you don't know what you're saying." Charming said._

_"No you _have_ to believe she'll come back us. We have to give her, her best chance." Snow said and Charming was on the verge of tears. Charming kissed Emma's forehead as Snow said, "Goodbye Emma." She kissed Emma's forehead as she fought back tears and the urge to beg Charming to give Emma back. Charming leaned down and kissed Snow before turning and grabbing his sword. He glanced back at Snow one more time and she held a brave face but once he was out the door she let out a heart wrenching sob._

_"Snow, Snow, come here." Alice said as she crawled onto the bed and pulled Snow to her. Snow turned and sobbed into Alice who simply held her, fighting the tears that threatened to come out. "She'll live Snow, you saved her. You'll see her again. She's a Charming, she'll find you, she will always find you." Alice said._

* * *

><p>I walked down the shore with Emma in tow behind me. We came up on the castle from the backside. Walking up the steps I sat to the left of Henry while Emma sat on the right. Emma held up the book, "You left this in my car." She said to him and he took it without saying a word. "Still hasn't moved huh?" she asked.<p>

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here." Henry told her. "That the final battle would begin."

"I'm not fighting any battles kid." She said as soon as he finished his sentence.

"Yes you are, you're here because it's your destiny. You're gonna bring back the happy endings." Henry said.

"Would you quit with the book crap." She said.

"Watch it Swan." I warned as I wrapped an arm around him protectively.

"You don't have to be hostile, I know you like me I can tell." He said and I smiled.

"It's hard not to like you munchkin." I said and he gave me a look, "I know, I know, not a munchkin." I smiled.

"You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty." He said "It's ok, I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance." He said

Emma got tears in her eyes and looked straight ahead, wringing her hands. "How do you know that?" she asked.

"It's the same reason Snow White gave you away." He said

"Listen to me kid, I am not in any book. I'm a real person and I am no Savior. You were right about one thing though, I wanted you to have your best chance." She said and I felt myself get teary eyed, I blame Mary Margaret, she made me go soft. "But it's not with me. Come on let's go." She said as she pushed herself off the edge of the castle floor.

I dropped to the ground after her and Henry scrambled to get up. "Please don't take me back there." He said "Just stay with me for one week, that's all I ask. One week and you'll see I'm not crazy."

I stood a little back from them, "I have to get you back to your mom." She said

"You don't know what it's like with her, my life sucks." He said

"Oh you want to know what sucking is?" she asked, "Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway, my parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three and then they had their own and so they sent me back." She said before taking a deep breath.

"Look," he said

"Your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard for her, and I know at times you think she doesn't love you, but at least she loves you." Emma said

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway, that's just where you came through." Henry said

"What?" Emma asked

"The wardrobe, when you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse." He said

She let out a mix between a laugh and cry, "I'm sure they were." She said "Come on Henry." She said and as they turned to walk I joined them again and when Henry wasn't looking she gave me a nod of gratitude. He slipped his hand into Emma's and I wrapped my arm over his shoulders and we walked back through the shore in silence.

* * *

><p><em>"Alice, something isn't right." Snow moaned as she pried on the bed to get up. "Alice please, please you have to help me get up." Snow begged as Alice got up.<em>

_"Alright, alright hold on." Alice said as she got up and walked over to where Snow was trying to pull herself off the bed. Helping Snow down they made their way down the hall. They entered the room with the wardrobe when Snow let out a cry._

_"No, noo." She cried "No, no, noo." Snow cried as she dropped to the floor where Charming lay, nearly if not already dead. "No, no, no, no." she said her voice barely a whisper now. "No, please, please come back to me." Snow begged before leaning down and kissing him. Nothing happened so she kissed him again._

_"It's not been done by magic Snow, True Love's Kiss can't undo it." Alice said as she rested her hands on Snow's shoulders._

_There was a clicking of heels, "Oh don't worry dear, in a few moments you won't remember you knew him." The Evil Queen said with a victorious smile. "Let alone loved him." She said as Snow pulled Charming's body closer to her as Alice stood in front of the couple protectively. "Oh calm down little girl, you couldn't stop me if you tried." She said and Alice lunged for her only to have the Evil Queen fling her back, causing Snow to reach out and grabbed Alice._

_"Why did you do this?" Snow asked_

_"Because this is my happy ending." The Evil Queen said as guards came into the room. "The child?" she asked_

_"Gone." One of the guards said. "It was in the wardrobe and then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found."_

_"Where is she?" the Evil Queen asked_

_"You'll never get that baby." Alice said as she pulled herself into a sitting position._

_"She got away." Snow said with a smile. "You're going to lose, I know that now, good will always win."_

_"We'll see about that." The Evil Queen said and she started laughing as the ceiling looked like it was getting ripped from above._

_"Where are we going?" Alice asked_

_"Somewhere horrible." The Evil Queen said "Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending, will be mine." She said as the room was being destroyed. Purple storm clouds enveloped the four people along with the guards, then darkness took over._

* * *

><p>Madame Mayor opened the door and Henry ran inside, I walked with Emma as she headed to the door at a calmer pace. The Mayor turned and looked at Emma, "Thank you," she said<p>

"No problem," Emma said

"He's seem to have taken quiet a liking to you," Madame Mayor said

Emma smiled, "You know it's kinda crazy, yesterday was my birthday and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself I actually made a wish that I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up."

"I hope there's no misunderstanding here." Madame Mayor said

"I'm sorry?" Emma asked as I stood in silence and watched.

"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life." Madame Mayor said and I fought the urge to yell 'Burn!'.

"Oh," Emma said

"Ms. Swan you made a decision 10 years ago and in the last decade while you've been, who knows what you've been doing. I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum, you may have given birth to him but he is _my_ son." Madame Mayor said

"I was-" Emma started

"No, you don't get to speak, you don't get to do anything." Madame Mayor said "You gave up that right when you tossed him away." She said and I wanted to punch her. Emma didn't _toss_ Henry away, she saved him. I've been in a group home which is where he would have been had Emma kept him. She saved his life. "Do you know what a closed adoption is?" she asked "It's what you asked for, you have no legal right to Henry and you're going to be held to that. So I suggest you get in your car and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do."

"Damn." I muttered under my breath.

"Goodbye Ms. Swan." She said as she turned and walked to the door before turning back,

"Do you love him?" Emma asked.

Madame Mayor froze, "Excuse me?"

"Henry, do you love him?" Emma asked and I took a step away

"Of course I love him." She said "Stella are you staying or going?" she asked me.

"I better get back to Mary Margaret." I said as she nodded before slamming the door. "Will you give me a ride?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said before turning away "Where to?" she asked

"Hospital." I said and she gave me a curious look, "She volunteers, I go too." I said and she nodded. She dropped me off at the hospital and I walked back to see Mary Margaret placing flowers beside patients. I saw her go into John Doe's private room. I walked towards her as she exited the room, "He's kinda hot you know." I said as I leaned against the glass.

"Stella! He's in a coma." She scolded

"Being in a coma doesn't change his looks. If he wakes up, so go for it." I said

"Stella!" she cried in shock.

"Wha?" I asked with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Come on, let's go home." She said as she wrapped her arm over my shoulder and grabbed her purse.

"Bye Mr. Stud Muffin!" I called over my shoulder to the coma patient.

She whacked me lightly in the stomach, "Stella, shush, they're sleeping." She said as we walked outside. I looked up at the clock tower just in time to see the minute hand tick for the first time for as long as I can remember.

I smiled and decided to not tell Mary Margaret and let her see it for herself. Things were changing, maybe Henry was right after all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys, I am sooo sorry that I haven't updated in forever. My computer's virus protection ran out and my dad told me not to get on the internet at all and he would freak if he knew I was using my internet right now. But, because I love everyone who reads and enjoys my stories I am willing to risk it to update these stories.<strong>

**Hugs and Kisses - Madame Magic**


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